Dare I ask the teacher?

[tilly14]

My DD came home from school today with a sticker on her jumper listing 5 words and a note saying 'please learn these again'. She is 4 and in Reception.

She has already learned 100 words correctly from her homework; I assume that the teacher periodically checks their memory.

But why stick a note on her jumper so that everyone can read it? and also so that her peers can laugh at her?

I am not 'allowed' to ask the teacher why, as they are far too busy to talk to the parents. We get zero communication from the school and I have already been 'slapped down' for enquiring as to how my daughter is doing and what she is doing.

Would you approach the teacher?

Wow. Approach - no. Slap about - yes.

Was it meant to have been stuck on her jumper? Maybe it was meant to have gone in her book and she put it on her jumper instead?

If the teacher did stick it onto her I would want to speak to them. It sounds like you are generally unhappy with the school?

I felt awful questioning her but she told me that the teacher stuck it on her.

I am only unhappy with the school as far as communication goes.
She is 4 , in reception, a very big school and apart from parents evening (2x per year) , I have no idea what she does / how she is doing.

Stick a note on the teacher.

"See me."

Dreadful way of going about things, if it was intended.

Excellent suggestion Clarnico.
What a dreadful way to attempt to communicate, the teacher needs a shock.

My friend's school sends them home with stickers saying all sorts of things - from 'learn these words' to 'I did xx really well' to 'I bumped my head'. I guess the teachers know from experience that parents don't check book bags every day, and reception kids are too little to pass on messages. I don't think anyone would laugh at your DD for learning these words - they probably all have words to learn.

It does sound like you are unhappy with the teacher anyway. I was too when my DD was in reception - it got much easier in Y1 if that helps. The best way to approach a teacher is to ask if you can book an appointment to chat with them. Some are really good are just being asked questions on the spot; others seem to hate it. My DD's reception teacher responded so badly to me that I didn't speak to her for the rest of the year!

Thanks for your replies. Should have said label instead of sticker !

Thinkingkindly - that is reassuring as I feel I have lost faith for this year. All I ever wanted to do was to support my daughter and the school.

She also did tell us that 2 of her friends laughed at her.

Does not seem a very good learning environment and not good at building your dd's confidence and acknowledging what she has already achieved. I wouldn't even bother to see the teacher but look for another school and switch as soon as possible. Good luck.

If you are unable to move your daughter schools, approach the teacher(asking for a set time sounds like a good idea) and if you don't get a satisfactory response - Go to the HEAD teacher and explain your concerns. Good luck.

Tilly, tell the teacher that dd says two friends laughed at her when you talk to her. She might know what that was about - or, if they really were laughing at her having easier words than them, she will hopefully agree to give your DD her words differently next time. It might be that your dd is particularly sensitive and that other kids are fine with the label system (friend's dd's school also uses white labels that the teacher writes on, btw).

FWIW, I have had to reconnect with the reception teacher in dc1's school because dc2 is about to start. It felt like quite a big deal to have a civil conversation but is a relief to break the ice.